Cornerstone of justice system must be honored

January 14, 2014

Innocent until proven guilty. That simple sentence is essentially the cornerstone of the American jurisprudence system.

In our country, by law, guilt is not assumed. Innocence is. The burden of proof of guilt, in criminal cases, must be met by the prosecution and then decided on by a jury of citizens.

The accused is afforded with rights. Among them the right to defend themselves against their accusers. Most of us know this. Anyone who has sat through a "Law and Order" marathon, or any parts thereof, has had this pointed out in 60-minute increments.

Innocent until proven guilty. While it is a concept we all know, it may be hard to accept sometimes.

As a media outlet, we are well aware of this concept and must do everything we can to preserve it.

The death last month of Sanaz Nezami, of Dollar Bay, illustrates this. Nezami, who had only been in the Copper Country a matter of months before her death, had planned to start Michigan Technological University this week to eventually earn a PhD.

She died of injuries she sustained in what police, at the time called, "a domestic assault."

Her husband, Nima Nasiri, has been charged with her death. The Daily Mining Gazette has received requests, by some to be more aggressive in our reporting of this incident, and in particular, Mr. Nasiri.

However, as things stand, Nima Nasiri, currently lodged in lieu of a $5 million bond, is an innocent man. He is innocent until a court proves otherwise.

Any reference to the incident in question must include words such as "alleged."

The Daily Mining Gazette takes our role as an important news source in the Copper Country very seriously. We will not jeopardize any legal proceedings, nor will be pronounce guilt or innocence until it is decided in court.

Innocent until proven guilty is one of the cornerstones upon which the founders laid this great nation. And it is a concept upon which we will not waiver.